U.S. patent number 7,930,640 [Application Number 11/831,527] was granted by the patent office on 2011-04-19 for methods for splitting and merging calendar entries.
This patent grant is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Weichuan Dong, Fang Lu.
United States Patent |
7,930,640 |
Dong , et al. |
April 19, 2011 |
Methods for splitting and merging calendar entries
Abstract
A method of merging and splitting calendar entries is provided.
The method of merging includes initiating a Personal Information
Management (PIM) that is configured to manage a calendar, opening
the calendar, selecting a first calendar entry and a second
calendar entry, and selecting an owner action selection of the PIM.
The owner action selection includes a merge and split selection.
Selecting the merge selection combines information of the first
calendar entry with information of the second calendar entry, such
that a new calendar entry is created that includes the combined
information of both the first and second calendar entries. A time
and/or place is entered for the new calendar entry having the
combined information. Additionally, selecting a split selection
initiates a first and second pane where the second pane includes
two subsections with original calendar entry information that may
be amended and saved as two new calendar entries.
Inventors: |
Dong; Weichuan (Lowell, MA),
Lu; Fang (Billerica, MA) |
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation (Armonk, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
40339316 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/831,527 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20090037843 A1 |
Feb 5, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/764; 715/810;
715/963; 705/7.19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
10/1095 (20130101); G06Q 10/109 (20130101); G06F
3/048 (20130101); Y10S 715/963 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
3/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;715/764,810,963
;705/8,9 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
http://farsite.hill.af.mil/forums/help/en/calendar/c-merge.html; on
and before Jul. 31, 2007. cited by other .
http://www.uas.arizona.edu:8086/tutinc.htm; on and before Jul. 31,
2007. cited by other .
http://www.tendenci.com/encms/?628; on and before Jul. 31, 2007.
cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Lo; Weilun
Assistant Examiner: Salomon; Phenuel S
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cantor Colburn LLP Lari; Ayla
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of splitting a single calendar entry into multiple
calendar entries, comprising: initiating a Personal Information
Management (PIM) that is configured to manage a calendar; opening
the calendar; selecting an original calendar entry comprising a
same meeting time, a same location, and a same invitees; selecting
an owner action selection of the PIM, the owner action selection
comprising a menu having a split selection; selecting the split
selection which initiates display of a first and second pane,
wherein information of the first pane comprises information of the
original calendar entry; displaying the first pane comprising
meeting time, the same location, and the same invitees; wherein the
second pane comprises a first and a second subsection; wherein the
first and the second subsection comprises information of the
original calendar entry; displaying the first subsection comprising
the same meeting time, the same location, and the same invitees;
and displaying the second subsection comprising the same meeting
time, the same location, and the same invitees; wherein the
information of the first and the second subsection can be
respectively amended, such that the information of the first
subsection is a new calendar entry and the information of the
second subsection is an other new calendar entry.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the original calendar entry is an
original scheduled meeting, the new calendar entry is a new
scheduled meeting, and the other new calendar entry is an other new
scheduled meeting that is different from the new scheduled meeting,
and wherein the method of splitting the single calendar entry into
multiple calendar entries is executed on a computer.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information of the first and
the second subsection comprises at least one of meeting time,
meeting location, date, and invitees.
Description
TRADEMARKS
IBM.RTM. is a registered trademark of International Business
Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., U.S.A. Other names used herein
may be registered trademarks, trademarks or product names of
International Business Machines Corporation or other companies.
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to managing calendar events, and
particularly to splitting and merging calendar events.
In the course of normal business, teams are often reorganized
without much of a prior notice. Therefore, managers are forced to
juggle their established schedule of meetings to meet the new
demands.
This task, however, is not straightforward when using existing
calendar and scheduling tools. Available tools currently require
managers to toy with the participant list in one meeting and
cancel/create another meeting, or just cancel all the original
meeting(s) and start from scratch creating the meeting. Simple
changes in structure may take some time, while more complex changes
(for example, merging of three or more teams) would entail complex,
repetitive operations.
It would be beneficial to have helpful tools and methods for
addressing changing events and schedules, and reorganizations.
SUMMARY
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method of merging
calendar entries is provided. The method includes initiating a
Personal Information Management (PIM) that is configured to manage
a calendar, opening the calendar, selecting a first calendar entry
and a second calendar entry, and selecting an owner action
selection of the PIM. The owner action selection includes a menu
having a merge selection. Also, the method includes selecting the
merge selection which combines information of the first calendar
entry with information of the second calendar entry, such that a
new calendar entry is created that includes the combined
information of both the first and second calendar entries. A time
and/or place is entered for the new calendar entry having the
combined information.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment, a method of splitting
a calendar entry is provided. The method includes initiating a
Personal Information Management (PIM) that is configured to manage
a calendar, opening the calendar, selecting an original calendar
entry, and selecting an owner action selection of the PIM. The
owner action selection includes a menu having a split selection.
The method includes selecting the split selection, which initiates
a first and second pane. Also, information of the first pane
includes information of the original calendar entry, and the second
pane includes a first and a second subsection, where information of
the first and the second subsection includes information of the
original calendar entry. Further, the information of the first and
the second subsection can be respectively amended, such that the
information of the first subsection is a new calendar entry and the
information of the second subsection is another new calendar
entry.
Computer program products corresponding to the above-summarized
methods are also described and claimed herein.
Additional features and advantages are realized through the
techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects
of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered
a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the
invention with advantages and features, refer to the description
and to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other
objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent
from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a method of splitting calendar events, in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 2 continues illustration of the method of splitting calendar
events, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 3 illustrates a method of merging calendar events, in
accordance with the exemplary embodiment; and
FIG. 4 continues illustration of the method of merging calendar
events, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment.
The detailed description explains the exemplary embodiment of the
invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example
with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
For various reasons, managers may be forced to juggle their
established schedule of meetings, by merging meetings that were
previously supposed to be held separately but that should now be
held together to reflect the new team structure, or by splitting a
meeting for the opposite reason.
An exemplary embodiment is described herein as a tool for merging
and splitting multiple calendar events. Using the merging and
splitting tool allows the data of calendar events to be merged or
split as desired. As non-limiting examples, the subject, time,
invitees, location, chair of the event, etc., may be split or
merged with the merging and splitting tool. In accordance with
exemplary embodiments, the merging and splitting tool may be
implemented in a device having a processor, memory, display, and/or
network capabilities, such that multiple calendar events may be
merged or split as discussed herein.
For illustrative purposes only, two non-limiting scenarios are
provided below to exemplify operations of the merging and splitting
tool for multiple calendar events. In the first scenario, a manager
called Eric, who manages a software development and testing team,
receives news that due to corporate growth, Eric will only manage
the software development team, and Jen will manage the software
testing team. Therefore, the software development and testing team
needs to be split.
Eric normally holds a weekly meeting for the whole software
development and testing team, which has been scheduled in advance
for the whole year in his Personal Information Management (PIM). A
PIM is a type of application software that functions as a personal
organizer. For the sake of efficiency, Jen and Eric decide that the
software development and testing teams should have their own weekly
meetings, but that next month's meeting should be held as planned
to ensure a smooth transition.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment for splitting and
merging calendar entries, Eric opens the existing software
development and testing weekly team meeting in his calendar 100,
depicted in FIG. 1. In the process of splitting the software
development and testing team meeting into two new separate
meetings, Eric clicks on the owner actions 110 menu in calendar 100
and then selects a split 120 menu item.
In FIG. 2, the calendar 100 form gets refreshed, and there are two
new panes 130, 140 appearing in the calendar 100 form. The left
pane 130 displays the original meeting time and invitee list 175
(e.g., Dev Team, Test Team). The right pane 140 displays two
subsections 150, 155 that are used to set up the new separate
meetings. By default, both of the two new subsections 150, 155 keep
the same meeting time, location, and invitees from the original
meeting invitation. Although FIG. 2 only illustrates a subject line
(e.g., Test Team Weekly Meeting) for the subsection 155, the
subsection 155 includes the same information (from the original
meeting invitation, which is not shown) as depicted in the
subsection 150. As a non-limiting example, Eric removes the
software development team from the invitee list 170, and only the
software development team remains (e.g., Dev Team) in the invitees
170.
Continuing the first scenario, Eric now has to change at least the
meeting time or location for one of the split team meetings
(software development team and/or the software testing team), but
Eric can also change any other information at that time, and assign
ownership of the new (scheduled) meeting for the new software
testing team to Jen. Once Jen is the owner of the new meeting for
the software testing team, Jen may make additional changes.
Further, in accordance with the exemplary embodiment, if need be,
Eric can also click on the more meetings "+" button 160 at the
bottom of the right pane 140. The more meetings "+" button 160
allows Eric to split the meeting even further. As non-limiting
examples, meetings for the software development team and the
software testing team may be split into further scheduled meeting
(e.g., a third, fourth, etc. meeting). Also, in accordance with the
exemplary embodiment, in the case of repeated events, Eric can
decide when the split will occur (in the example case, after the
next month's meeting).
On the right pane 140, Eric keeps the same meeting date and
location for his software development team meeting in the
subsection 150, but deletes the software testing team members from
the invitee list 170. Eric fills out the new meeting time,
location, and invitee list (which does not show the breakout as in
subsection 150) for the software testing team in the subsection 155
(which does not show the breakout as in subsection 150). Eric may
choose to view the breakout for subsections 150, 155 at the same
time, or may choose one to view one at a time. Eric clicks on a
save and send invitations button 165. Eric's software development
team will receive an updated meeting notice from him, and the
software testing team will receive a new meeting invitation.
Accordingly, Eric has successfully split the single software
development and testing team meeting into a distinct software
development team meeting and software testing team meeting.
In the second scenario, Chris feels it is important to have the
software testing team tech leads and the software development team
tech leads meet for a face-to-face round table meeting on a weekly
basis, so issues can be better communicated. Chris was previously
holding these weekly meetings separately for the software testing
tech leads and software development tech leads. In accordance with
the exemplary embodiment for splitting and merging calendar
entries, Chris opens his calendar 300 and selects both the software
testing tech lead meeting 310 and the software development tech
lead meeting 320 in FIG. 3. Eric then accesses the tool bar 330
menu, clicks on the owner actions 340 menu, and then selects a
merge 350 menu item.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment, a dialog box 400 pops
up in FIG. 4. A left pane 410 depicts the information of the
original two meetings. The left pane 410 illustrates the full
information for the software development tech lead meeting 450 but
only illustrates the subject line for the software testing tech
lead meeting 460 (e.g., test tech lead weekly meeting). The right
pane 420 illustrates new meeting information. The invitees list 470
is already filled out for the new meeting in the right pane 420.
Chris selects a meeting time and place for the new meeting in the
right pane 420, and then clicks on the save and send button 430 of
the dialog box 400. Both groups of tech leads (e.g., the software
testing tech leads and the software development tech leads) will
receive update meeting notices from Chris. Accordingly, Chris has
successfully merged the meetings for the software testing team tech
leads and the software development team tech leads, in accordance
with the exemplary embodiment.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment, Eric may click on the
more meetings "+" button 440 if additional meetings are to be
merged. Accordingly, Eric may select additional meetings so that
the information of the additional meetings may be added to the new
meeting information in the right pane 420.
Further, it is understood that the exemplary embodiment discussed
herein allows one entry to be split into multiple entries (e.g.,
two or more entries). As well, the exemplary embodiment allows
multiple entries (e.g., two or more entries) to be merged into one
entry. Although for explanatory purposes, non-limiting examples may
have been described using illustrations of two entries. It is
understood, however, that the exemplary embodiment is not meant to
be limited to two entries but applies to merging multiple entries
into one entry and splitting one entry into multiple entries.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment, the calendar event
splitter and merger tools are calendar application tools, which
help in this day and age where organizations are constantly
transforming their internal structure to adapt to ever changing
market requirements. In accordance with the exemplary embodiment,
changes in the organization can be managed more quickly and
efficiently, helping to keep organizations of all sizes nimble and
agile. Further, the non-limiting examples disclosed herein are not
limited to calendar meetings but can be applied to other types of
calendar events. Indeed, the two scenarios for merging and
splitting events discussed herein are for explanation purposes and
are not meant to be limiting in any way.
As understood by one skilled in the art, a computer application may
be used to implement the methods discussed above in accordance with
the exemplary embodiment. The computer application may be executed
on a computer having a processor for executing instructions. The
computer may be operatively connected to a network (e.g., the
Internet) having all of the necessary entities to function and
operate as a network.
The capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in
software, firmware, hardware or some combination thereof.
As one example, one or more aspects of the present invention can be
included in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer
program products) having, for instance, computer usable media. The
media has embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program
code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the
present invention. The article of manufacture can be included as a
part of a computer system or sold separately.
Additionally, at least one program storage device readable by a
machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions
executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the
present invention can be provided.
The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be
many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations)
described therein without departing from the spirit of the
invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing
order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these
variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
While the exemplary embodiment to the invention has been described,
it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and
in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which
fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims
should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the
invention first described.
* * * * *
References